The Tickets He Gave Me Became My Best Friend’s Trip Instead Chapter 04

The Tickets He Gave Me Became My Best Friend’s Trip Instead Chapter 04

My southbound train was due to leave in six hours when Julian came home early.

“I cleared tomorrow’s schedule, and the trip to Williamsburg is all set. Consider it my apology.”

He hugged me from behind, resting his chin on my shoulder.

“I’m cooking tonight.”

After spending a long while in the kitchen, he served chicken and dumplings.

It had been my mother’s signature dish.I hadn’t tasted it since my parents died in the car accident.

Julian dried his hands on a dish towel.

“I tracked down one of your parents’ old neighbors. It took me a month to get the recipe right.”

“You may not have your parents anymore, but I can make this for you every day.”

My throat tightened.

Sometimes Julian seemed to love me deeply enough to go to extraordinary lengths to fill the holes my parents had left behind.

Before I tasted the food, the doorbell rang.

Claire stood outside with an elegantly wrapped gift.

“Julian, I’m heading back to the main office tomorrow. This is for Nora. I don’t want her thinking I’m trying to come between you.”

Then she noticed the food on the table.

“They kept pushing drinks on me last night, and my stomach’s been off all day. That actually smells like something I could handle.”

Julian grabbed a takeout container and packed up the untouched chicken and dumplings.

“Take it with you. It’ll settle your stomach.”

I stopped him from closing the lid.

“But you promised you were making that for me.”

“It’s food, Nora. I have the recipe now, so I can make it again.”

He covered my hand with his.

“Claire leaves tomorrow. You’re supposed to be the host here. Are you really going to make a guest feel unwelcome over dinner?”

When I didn’t move, his tone hardened.

“I know you lost your parents young and never had anyone to teach you these things. I’ve tried to teach you how to carry yourself with some grace, but making a scene over one dish makes you look petty and rude. Let it go.”

I released the lid.

Claire accepted the container and nudged the wrapped gift toward me.

“I shouldn’t have said anything. Take this. Call it a peace offering.”

Julian frowned when I left it untouched.

“Claire came here to make peace, and you won’t even accept her gift? You’re going to be Mrs. Mercer someday. Act like it. At least return the gesture.”

He spotted the scrapbook on the coffee table and picked it up.

“This has every place Nora and I planned to visit but never did. It’s personal, so it actually means something.”

He offered it to Claire.

“Take it. It’ll give you something to look at on the way back.”

Then he turned to me, his voice coaxing.

“I’ll take you to every place in it myself. You won’t miss out on any of them.”

My voice shook.

“Julian, give it back.”

Claire gave me a disdainful look, glanced at the cover, and refused to take it.

“No, thanks. I don’t want someone else’s trash.”

Julian’s face hardened. Whether he meant to appease her or punish me, I couldn’t tell.

He tore the scrapbook in half.

The binding split, and all twenty-seven tickets scattered across the floor.

Julian dropped the ruined halves into the trash.

“It’s a scrapbook. Stop acting like I destroyed something priceless.”

“If you want another one, I’ll hire an artist to make you ten tomorrow. Now clean up the floor.”

I stared at the ruined pages and felt the last of my hope go with them.

I returned from the bedroom with the suitcase I had already packed.

For the first time that evening, Julian’s confidence faltered.

“What’s this, another dramatic exit? I’m done indulging this, Nora.”

I pulled the suitcase toward the door.

“Don’t hire an artist. This scrapbook already has an ending.”

I met his eyes.

“So do we.”

Before he could respond, I stepped into the elevator.

As the doors closed, Julian turned to Claire with the same certainty he had always carried.

“Let her go. She won’t make it past the lobby. Once she calms down, she’ll come right back.”